Seven students being held by police over the deadly fire at Utumishi Girls Academy have reportedly disclosed what motivated the dormitory arson that left 16 learners dead and several others injured.
Investigators have recorded statements from the suspects, which are said to provide fresh details on events leading up to the tragedy.
According to preliminary reports, frustration among some Form Four students may have been sparked by a decision by the school administration to reschedule examinations from June 16 to June 2.
Investigations have also pointed to strained relations between senior students and the administration over contributions towards a cultural event.
The students are said to have opposed a directive requiring them to finance an activity that had previously been funded by the school.
Detectives further established that some of the suspects allegedly wanted to set the dormitory ablaze as part of a wave of student unrest and strikes reported in schools over the past two weeks.
Authorities believe the plan was executed hastily, with discussions about the attack allegedly beginning around 9 p.m., only a few hours before the fire erupted shortly after midnight.
Police are now looking into whether external individuals played a role in the incident and how the students allegedly obtained the kerosene believed to have been used in starting the fire.
The seven students, who were reportedly identified through CCTV footage released by the school, told investigators they did not intend to injure anyone but wanted to destroy the dormitory to express their dissatisfaction.
Following the incident, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen directed schools to install CCTV cameras in strategic areas to improve surveillance and help prevent similar cases.
Separately, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba ordered nationwide inspections of all boarding schools, giving authorities 10 days to complete the exercise and recommending stern action against institutions found to be compromising student safety.
The inspections are expected to focus heavily on dormitories after preliminary findings by the Interior Ministry indicated that boarding school fires in Kenya have historically targeted sleeping quarters.
